Air cargo containers have been used for the transportation of cargo by aircraft for many years. Cargo such as cartons, smaller shipping containers, etc. is first loaded into a container. The container is then loaded into an aircraft. Use of air cargo containers is faster than loading cargo directly into the cargo space of the aircraft, since the individual cartons need not be separately placed and secured within the aircraft. The air cargo container can also be loaded at locations remote from the airport. Furthermore, because the cargo container is typically designed to fit the interior dimensions of specific aircraft, the container fits more securely in the cargo space and does not shift during flight. These and other advantages of air cargo containers have made air cargo containers widely used in the air freight and airline industry.
A typical air cargo container includes a base such as a flat square or rectangular aluminum pallet. Many air cargo containers have a roll up fabric or curtain door which may be opened or rolled up for loading and unloading the container. The fabric door is then closed or rolled down and secured with straps or other fittings, or via a rigid metal door bar at the bottom of the fabric door latched onto the base of the container. In some air cargo container designs, however, the width of the fabric door is limited do the container shape or other factors. This limits the width of the container opening.
Other types of cargo container have swing out doors. While these may have structural advantages, they are heavier than a roll up door. Typically, these types of containers have opposing left and right side swing out doors which entirely close off the container opening when the doors are moved into the closed position.
While these designs have performed well in the past, they may have the disadvantages discussed above, as well as other drawbacks. Accordingly, engineering challenges remain in designing an improved air cargo container.